Nitish too 'busy' to know of strife in RJD

Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar on Monday feigned ignorance over the developments in RJD, from which 13 MLAs resigned though six of them subsequently denied having done so.

"I have been busy attending a function of Arya Bhat Law University and later a meeting of the Cabinet. I have come to know about the events from you and will collect information about it," Kumar told reporters in Patna.

Sources in the CMO said that Kumar would leave for Delhi on Tuesday.

Earlier, in the day 13 of the 22 RJD MLAs wrote a letter to Speaker Uday Narayan Chaudhary informing him that they were quitting their party.

Following this the assembly issued a notification providing an interim arrangement for them as a separate group.

Prominent rebel leaders Samrat Chaudhary and Javed Iqbal Ansari criticised Lalu Prasad for playing into the hands of the Congress and praised Nitish Kumar for severing ties with BJP over Narendra Modi's elevation.